Ruptured pipeline in Nigeria’s Delta state spilled oil – NNPC chief

LAGOS, Aug 31 (Reuters) – A pipeline that ruptured on Friday in Nigeria’s Delta state spilled oil, but has been contained, the head of state oil company NNPC said on Saturday.

NNPC initially said the pipeline was carrying gas, but NNPC managing director Mele Kyari said on Twitter Saturday afternoon that it was the Abura Crude Trunk line.

Local people in Otu-Jeremi in Ughelli South area of Delta state reported a pipeline explosion and told Reuters that oil was leaking from it. Kyari repeated NNPC’s assertion that there was no explosion.

“It was a rupture on one of our pipelines,” Kyari said on Twitter, adding that engineers were at the site already.

He said they had contained a spill and would fix the pipeline within three days.

“There’s no cause for alarm,” he said.

The pipeline is near Oil Mining Licence 34, owned by NNPC subsidiary Nigeria Petroleum Development Co. and ND Western. That licence produces an average of 17,000 barrels per day of oil and condensates and 390 million standard cubic feet per day of gas.

Gas processed from the field goes into the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline, which feeds Egbin power plant, the largest in Nigeria.

It is also near NPDC asset OML 65, which produces as much as 12,000 bpd of crude oil from the Abura field.

Kyari also said the incident would not impact the country’s power supply. (Reporting by Libby George; Editing by Alison Williams)